Today is the day..
I have been looking forward to this day ever since i returned from Chile in 2006 but right now i couldn't be more scared. I am in a very strange state of mind at the moment sitting in Terminal 5 writing this. I am so excited that i am finally doing this doing this but at the same time filled with dread at the task ahead.
I know what i am doing is the right thing and it will be an expereince of a lifetime both for me and the venturers but there is always that lingering doubt. I suppose that is only natural as this is somehting very out of the norm for me.
I better go find the rest of my group now and board the flight. I hope to write soon when i have arrived in India.
Follow the India 09C expedition at :http://raleighindia.blogspot.com
Neil
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Two days left at work. Two weeks before I fly.
It’s is all getting so real now and I can’t really quite believe it! I finish at work in two days time and unlikely to return there. I’ve been at Digital Village for four years now, since I left university, so it will be weird finding a new place to work on my eventual return. Working there has been very rewarding, had its ups and downs but its defiantly time I left, explored the world and found a new path and direction in life.
Although recently I have been questioning if I am doing the right thing by jacking in a perfectly good job in “the current climate” (gee I hate that term) when thousands of people are losing their jobs every day. However, I firmly believe that what I am doing will be much more beneficial for myself and my future, the Raleigh venturers and the local communities than me being stuck behind a desk wishing I was somewhere else. Roll on Friday!
So why am I volunteering now? I’m at a point in my life where I need to really find out who I am, what I’m made of and am willing to push myself as far as necessary to find out, which being part of the volunteer staff team will do. I know what a Raleigh expedition involves and the responsibilities that are placed on the staff are very real and very serious. However, you will never know what you are really capable of unless you step out of your comfort zone and believe me, this is well out of mine!
With just under two weeks before I fly I am both excited and really quite nervous. The thought of having to be a role model and responsible of groups of young people 24/7 for three months in the middle of no where is very daunting. There is so much I don’t know. I don’t know what to expect from the venturers, the country, the culture, the climate, the other staff or the work involved. All I have to go on is what I have been told and what I saw at the staff training weekend. All these unknowns excite and intrigue me though; I just want to get stuck in now!
I hope to keep this blog updated while I’m away. Not in the usual sense of most travel blogs like ‘we went here, then we went there, watched the sun set then got drunk over there’ etc. I want to document what I am feeling, thinking, learning and experiencing during this expedition. It might make for boring reading but should give more of an insight into what it is like to be a part of a Raleigh staff team.
You can follow the Raleigh India blog at http://raleighindia.blogspot.com/ and the link is also on the right hand side of this page.
If you want to contact me you can leave a message on this blog, email me on ‘neildakeyne at googlemail.com’ or Skype me (just search for my name). If you really wanted you could write a letter to me and I promise to write back in my kid like hand writing. The address is:
Raleigh Expedition Fieldbase
Behind Olive Garden
Opposite Police Horse Park
Chamappagi Road (Right Wing of Race Course)
Nazarbad
Mysore 570 010
Karnataka State
India
Until next time
Although recently I have been questioning if I am doing the right thing by jacking in a perfectly good job in “the current climate” (gee I hate that term) when thousands of people are losing their jobs every day. However, I firmly believe that what I am doing will be much more beneficial for myself and my future, the Raleigh venturers and the local communities than me being stuck behind a desk wishing I was somewhere else. Roll on Friday!
So why am I volunteering now? I’m at a point in my life where I need to really find out who I am, what I’m made of and am willing to push myself as far as necessary to find out, which being part of the volunteer staff team will do. I know what a Raleigh expedition involves and the responsibilities that are placed on the staff are very real and very serious. However, you will never know what you are really capable of unless you step out of your comfort zone and believe me, this is well out of mine!
With just under two weeks before I fly I am both excited and really quite nervous. The thought of having to be a role model and responsible of groups of young people 24/7 for three months in the middle of no where is very daunting. There is so much I don’t know. I don’t know what to expect from the venturers, the country, the culture, the climate, the other staff or the work involved. All I have to go on is what I have been told and what I saw at the staff training weekend. All these unknowns excite and intrigue me though; I just want to get stuck in now!
I hope to keep this blog updated while I’m away. Not in the usual sense of most travel blogs like ‘we went here, then we went there, watched the sun set then got drunk over there’ etc. I want to document what I am feeling, thinking, learning and experiencing during this expedition. It might make for boring reading but should give more of an insight into what it is like to be a part of a Raleigh staff team.
You can follow the Raleigh India blog at http://raleighindia.blogspot.com/ and the link is also on the right hand side of this page.
If you want to contact me you can leave a message on this blog, email me on ‘neildakeyne at googlemail.com’ or Skype me (just search for my name). If you really wanted you could write a letter to me and I promise to write back in my kid like hand writing. The address is:
Raleigh Expedition Fieldbase
Behind Olive Garden
Opposite Police Horse Park
Chamappagi Road (Right Wing of Race Course)
Nazarbad
Mysore 570 010
Karnataka State
India
Until next time
Sunday, December 21, 2008
I'm off on my travels again...
Nearly three years to the day since I left for my first adventure with Raleigh I’m off again. This time to Southern India as part of the volunteer staff team.
My time in Chile was so inspirational I knew that I had to do it again and give other young people the chance to experience what I did on expedition. So a few months back I decided to apply for a staff role not really thinking that I would get through. After a gruelling assessment weekend in the pouring rain and an intense staff development weekend there is just over a month before i fly. It is all very real and slightly scary!
So, what will I be doing I hear you ask?
Most people tend to think that I’m just off on a jolly around India and when I mention charity work the image of working for an aid agency building mud huts for poor people in the jungle springs to mind. Both of these views are nowhere near the truth. Raleigh’s mission statement is:
“Raleigh expeditions inspire people from all walks of life, ages and nationalities to make a difference to communities and environments. Through adventure and challenge we help them reach their full potential as global citizens. Our vision is to awaken a sense of life-purpose and belonging, creating a united global community working together to rise to the challenges of the world we live in.”
I fit into this by volunteering my time and skills to ensure that the projects that we will be working on are run smoothly and safely. The main aim of the projects and expedition as a whole is the personal development of young people and every activity and project is geared toward this.
There are three phases to a 10 week expedition, adventure (trekking), community and environmental. I’m don’t know what projects I will be working on as yet but the adventure phase is a 200km trek through a national park. The community phases involve building eco sanitation compost toilets and houses for local communities, not mud huts though! A far as I know the environmental projects haven’t been confirmed as yet but previous projects involved reducing human/elephant conflict and anti poaching projects.
Take a look at this video for an idea of what it will be like on expedition.
More videos here : www.vimeo.com/tag:raleighinternational
Field base is located just out side the city of Mysore in the state of Karnataka. While I am away I will try to keep this blog updated with where I am and what I’m upto but this may not be possible due the nature of the work.
If you want to sponsor me and support this very worthwhile charity you can donate here: www.justgiving.com/neildakeyne
More soon.
Neil
My time in Chile was so inspirational I knew that I had to do it again and give other young people the chance to experience what I did on expedition. So a few months back I decided to apply for a staff role not really thinking that I would get through. After a gruelling assessment weekend in the pouring rain and an intense staff development weekend there is just over a month before i fly. It is all very real and slightly scary!
So, what will I be doing I hear you ask?
Most people tend to think that I’m just off on a jolly around India and when I mention charity work the image of working for an aid agency building mud huts for poor people in the jungle springs to mind. Both of these views are nowhere near the truth. Raleigh’s mission statement is:
“Raleigh expeditions inspire people from all walks of life, ages and nationalities to make a difference to communities and environments. Through adventure and challenge we help them reach their full potential as global citizens. Our vision is to awaken a sense of life-purpose and belonging, creating a united global community working together to rise to the challenges of the world we live in.”
I fit into this by volunteering my time and skills to ensure that the projects that we will be working on are run smoothly and safely. The main aim of the projects and expedition as a whole is the personal development of young people and every activity and project is geared toward this.
There are three phases to a 10 week expedition, adventure (trekking), community and environmental. I’m don’t know what projects I will be working on as yet but the adventure phase is a 200km trek through a national park. The community phases involve building eco sanitation compost toilets and houses for local communities, not mud huts though! A far as I know the environmental projects haven’t been confirmed as yet but previous projects involved reducing human/elephant conflict and anti poaching projects.
Take a look at this video for an idea of what it will be like on expedition.
More videos here : www.vimeo.com/tag:raleighinternational
Field base is located just out side the city of Mysore in the state of Karnataka. While I am away I will try to keep this blog updated with where I am and what I’m upto but this may not be possible due the nature of the work.
If you want to sponsor me and support this very worthwhile charity you can donate here: www.justgiving.com/neildakeyne
More soon.
Neil
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Some surreal moments and memories from Raleigh International’s Final Expedition to Chile, 06B.
--- Field Base ---
Sitting in the barn eating dinner out of the mess tin while singing Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody with over 100 other people
Standing in a circle around decorated brown paper bags filled with sand and candles, the night before we deployed for phase 1, while people recited comical poetry they had written, one guy even reciting the lyrics from the Baywatch theme.
-- Trekking Phase – Avellano Valley --
Riding on a bus for 3 hours after rising at 6am with only having 4 hours sleep. We soon arrived at a police station to register with them and I used the facilities and soon realised that the toilet would not flush, so I made a swift exit. After another 40 mins on the bus we arrived in what could only be described as a desert with a never ending road in front of us, blazing sun and the bus disappearing in a cloud of dust! The one thing going through my mind - ‘What the f**k have I let my self in for!’
The first day trekking was so hot. I very nearly collapsed with heat exhaustion, I was so out of breath, I couldn’t talk. Had to rest in the shade for 45 minutes while Hamish collected water from everyone for me. What a guy!
Sitting on top of a mound at our first camp site in a valley watching the sun set behind the hills listening to ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ by Guns ‘n Roses and ‘Karma Police’ by Radiohead.
Sitting on a the beach of Lake General Carrera (the 2nd largest lake in South America) watching it rain over the hills of Argentina and feeling great! This was after walking for 10 hours and a distance of 14km in the blazing sun, heavy rain and 80km + gusts of wind. I thought this day would never end! I was listening to Bob Dylans ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ and I will forever remember this time when I hear the song. It was such a odd feeling that there is no one else about for miles!
The whole trekking group (11) in the group emergency shelter while it lashed down with wind and rain oputside. We sat in there for over an hour and a half in which time we enjoyed a delicious beanfeast meal and many a stupid games.
So many river crossings I lost count!! The water of the glacial river was so cold but after the 10th in a single day you start to get used to it. Although I did start to get fed up with gaffer taping the useless sandals I borrowed from field base to my feet.
Just going to bed (well bivi, sleeping bag and poncho) at 9.30pm and getting up at 5.30am and mobile by 7.30am. Was hard but had to be done to avoid the heat while walking!
Receiving Kate’s Valentines card when we got re-supplied by field base about two thirds of the way through the trek. Was so such a surprise and really made me so happy, even though it was way past Valentine’s day it didn’t make any difference!
Towards the end of the trek we bought 3 chickens from a old lady farmer who then proceeded to kill, pluck, chop and cook them in front of us. It was a really odd experience but it tasted so good. Also went fishing with her 8 year old grand son at 8.30 am on one of our rest days, caught nothing but had fun and learnt a lot.
I had my first experience of a rural Chilean town, Villa Cerro Castillo, at the end of the trek when we stayed in Yolanda’s hostel. Shops in peoples front rooms, a internet café next to someone’s kitchen, dogs everywhere, restaurant on a bus and the hostel was just a few run down buildings with a tiny dirty bathroom. I did have my first shower in 3 weeks here though which felt so good! I washed my hair 3 times just to make sure! Salvador once again impressed me with his bilingual skills by seamlessly swapping from Spanish to French to English throughout the night – none of which is his native language!
-- Back at Field Base for Change Over 1 --
Dancing round the barn listening to Oasis on my cd player in a silent disco dressed as Liam Gallagher. Everybody else had their own music and was doing the same but dressed all dressed up in fancy dress as well including Mr T, Robin Hood, Hardcore Ravers, men dressed as ladies, ladies dressed as men, ninjas, pirates and many more.. As the opening chords of ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ boomed from the ghetto blaster I took to the stage and swaggered around, flicked the V’s, leaned into the imaginary mic and played my imaginary tambourine. I must have looked a right idiot but my crowd enjoyed it. I think?!?
As Raleigh has a strict no alcohol rule, the above was done completely sober, which made it even more surreal! My fuel for the night was cans of sprite and lots of marsh mellows – MAD FOR THE MELLOWS (in a thick manc accent for those who remember)
-- Environmental Phase – Tamango Reserve --
Seeing a double rainbow span the valley as the rain which had been around all day slowly began to clear up. Really put a smile on my face, reminded me of many happy things from home!
Building a variety of land art Sculptures with Marc around our campsite (see previous post for an example) and then carefully removing them (kicking/throwing down the hill) when we left. Leave no trace!!
Dressing up as a pirate for the boat ride to our second camp site only to be greeted by a very un piratey dingy and luminous life jackets!
Sleeping under the ‘Shooting Stars’ and waking up with my bivi covered in frost and everything else around me being frozen.
Trekking with Ed through thick, thorny, thick, spiky undergrowth looking for the illusive Huemul, of which we saw none. My legs and arms were an utter mess after 3 days of doing that!
-- Community Phase – Chile Chico –-
Converting the barn/shed at the end of our campsite into our home for 3 weeks, it had previously been inhabited by a homeless guy and it apparently stunk to high heaven before we got there for phase 3. We painted walls, hung pictures, made tables and seats, made a wall of stuff and scattered candles around the place.
Carla giving me a banana and another piece of melon type fruit because I was feeling ill. It was just a nice thought which lifted my spirits and instantly made me feel so much better!
We played football against the local firemen, in which I scored 2 goals, I was very chuffed but didn’t really make any difference to the final result. We lost 15-20! I then spent the remainder of the match sitting and drawing stuff in charcoal on the side of the concrete pitch with a eight year old girl who didn’t speak any English.
Trying to hang the gates at the back of the playground with Tony. We had just broken our second drill and the bit was stuck in the wood and it was raining. The whole situation was very comical! I learnt many things that afternoon!
The opening of the playground was just magical. Even though the guest of honour didn’t turn up to open it, one of the local ladies took his place and did us proud. As soon as the ribbon was cut, the kids rushed in and played on it all. I returned later on in the evening when it was getting dark to find some kids still playing on the swings. So I joined in the age old game of ‘flicking your shows as far as you can while swinging’
Leaving Chile Chico on the ferry was possibly one of the most surreal experiences of the whole trip. I sat at the back of the boat and reflected on what we had achieved in Chile Chico and the other projects as well. I knew that this was the beginning of the end of my time in Patagonia. But I recall a few lines from a poem that I think I heard Marc read on the radio which included the lines ‘Everything begins with an end’ and ‘Everything ends with a beginning’. Looking back on it, these lines could not be more true!
-- Back at Field Base for End-Ex --
The final party was great!! It started with four guys bashing drums for about an hour or so while everybody danced around, which was just amazing!! Shona then lead a traditional Scottish dancing lesson, in which Helen and I attempted but never really got the hang of it, was fun never the less. The disco then started. Some good tunes were played, some rubbish tunes were played but it was all good fun! Once again in the absence of alcohol, fuel for the night was provided by sweets, fizzy drinks and cocktails/shots of 100% sugar based drink power called Zuko (which I since have found out is illegal in the UK due to certain ingredients). Come 2am the lights go up, people start to disperse, the clear up starts, the dj starts to pack up his equipment but plays some dark and down right dirty drum ‘n bass to round the night off! For me the party had just started, it was short lived though, only 1 hours worth! Around the barn we had bobbing for apples, a version of a coconut shy with mess tins, a paint wall, custard pie throwing and a Huemul piñata filled with sweets. It was so much fun!
I cant even begin to explain how weird it was to be leaving field base, our on/off home for the previous 10 weeks. I have now been home for 2 days and nothing has changed, it kind of seems that the past 10 weeks hasn’t really happened and was just a dream. I hope that what I have said has made sense and even inspired you. Raleigh hasn’t heard the last from me, I will return as staff sometime and somewhere…
I would like to thank the following staff for making my trip to Patagonia so special : Marc, Salvador, Tony, Steve, Sally, Shona, Abi and Jo.
"One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star"
Sitting in the barn eating dinner out of the mess tin while singing Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody with over 100 other people
Standing in a circle around decorated brown paper bags filled with sand and candles, the night before we deployed for phase 1, while people recited comical poetry they had written, one guy even reciting the lyrics from the Baywatch theme.
-- Trekking Phase – Avellano Valley --
Riding on a bus for 3 hours after rising at 6am with only having 4 hours sleep. We soon arrived at a police station to register with them and I used the facilities and soon realised that the toilet would not flush, so I made a swift exit. After another 40 mins on the bus we arrived in what could only be described as a desert with a never ending road in front of us, blazing sun and the bus disappearing in a cloud of dust! The one thing going through my mind - ‘What the f**k have I let my self in for!’
The first day trekking was so hot. I very nearly collapsed with heat exhaustion, I was so out of breath, I couldn’t talk. Had to rest in the shade for 45 minutes while Hamish collected water from everyone for me. What a guy!
Sitting on top of a mound at our first camp site in a valley watching the sun set behind the hills listening to ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ by Guns ‘n Roses and ‘Karma Police’ by Radiohead.
Sitting on a the beach of Lake General Carrera (the 2nd largest lake in South America) watching it rain over the hills of Argentina and feeling great! This was after walking for 10 hours and a distance of 14km in the blazing sun, heavy rain and 80km + gusts of wind. I thought this day would never end! I was listening to Bob Dylans ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ and I will forever remember this time when I hear the song. It was such a odd feeling that there is no one else about for miles!
The whole trekking group (11) in the group emergency shelter while it lashed down with wind and rain oputside. We sat in there for over an hour and a half in which time we enjoyed a delicious beanfeast meal and many a stupid games.
So many river crossings I lost count!! The water of the glacial river was so cold but after the 10th in a single day you start to get used to it. Although I did start to get fed up with gaffer taping the useless sandals I borrowed from field base to my feet.
Just going to bed (well bivi, sleeping bag and poncho) at 9.30pm and getting up at 5.30am and mobile by 7.30am. Was hard but had to be done to avoid the heat while walking!
Receiving Kate’s Valentines card when we got re-supplied by field base about two thirds of the way through the trek. Was so such a surprise and really made me so happy, even though it was way past Valentine’s day it didn’t make any difference!
Towards the end of the trek we bought 3 chickens from a old lady farmer who then proceeded to kill, pluck, chop and cook them in front of us. It was a really odd experience but it tasted so good. Also went fishing with her 8 year old grand son at 8.30 am on one of our rest days, caught nothing but had fun and learnt a lot.
I had my first experience of a rural Chilean town, Villa Cerro Castillo, at the end of the trek when we stayed in Yolanda’s hostel. Shops in peoples front rooms, a internet café next to someone’s kitchen, dogs everywhere, restaurant on a bus and the hostel was just a few run down buildings with a tiny dirty bathroom. I did have my first shower in 3 weeks here though which felt so good! I washed my hair 3 times just to make sure! Salvador once again impressed me with his bilingual skills by seamlessly swapping from Spanish to French to English throughout the night – none of which is his native language!
-- Back at Field Base for Change Over 1 --
Dancing round the barn listening to Oasis on my cd player in a silent disco dressed as Liam Gallagher. Everybody else had their own music and was doing the same but dressed all dressed up in fancy dress as well including Mr T, Robin Hood, Hardcore Ravers, men dressed as ladies, ladies dressed as men, ninjas, pirates and many more.. As the opening chords of ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ boomed from the ghetto blaster I took to the stage and swaggered around, flicked the V’s, leaned into the imaginary mic and played my imaginary tambourine. I must have looked a right idiot but my crowd enjoyed it. I think?!?
As Raleigh has a strict no alcohol rule, the above was done completely sober, which made it even more surreal! My fuel for the night was cans of sprite and lots of marsh mellows – MAD FOR THE MELLOWS (in a thick manc accent for those who remember)
-- Environmental Phase – Tamango Reserve --
Seeing a double rainbow span the valley as the rain which had been around all day slowly began to clear up. Really put a smile on my face, reminded me of many happy things from home!
Building a variety of land art Sculptures with Marc around our campsite (see previous post for an example) and then carefully removing them (kicking/throwing down the hill) when we left. Leave no trace!!
Dressing up as a pirate for the boat ride to our second camp site only to be greeted by a very un piratey dingy and luminous life jackets!
Sleeping under the ‘Shooting Stars’ and waking up with my bivi covered in frost and everything else around me being frozen.
Trekking with Ed through thick, thorny, thick, spiky undergrowth looking for the illusive Huemul, of which we saw none. My legs and arms were an utter mess after 3 days of doing that!
-- Community Phase – Chile Chico –-
Converting the barn/shed at the end of our campsite into our home for 3 weeks, it had previously been inhabited by a homeless guy and it apparently stunk to high heaven before we got there for phase 3. We painted walls, hung pictures, made tables and seats, made a wall of stuff and scattered candles around the place.
Carla giving me a banana and another piece of melon type fruit because I was feeling ill. It was just a nice thought which lifted my spirits and instantly made me feel so much better!
We played football against the local firemen, in which I scored 2 goals, I was very chuffed but didn’t really make any difference to the final result. We lost 15-20! I then spent the remainder of the match sitting and drawing stuff in charcoal on the side of the concrete pitch with a eight year old girl who didn’t speak any English.
Trying to hang the gates at the back of the playground with Tony. We had just broken our second drill and the bit was stuck in the wood and it was raining. The whole situation was very comical! I learnt many things that afternoon!
The opening of the playground was just magical. Even though the guest of honour didn’t turn up to open it, one of the local ladies took his place and did us proud. As soon as the ribbon was cut, the kids rushed in and played on it all. I returned later on in the evening when it was getting dark to find some kids still playing on the swings. So I joined in the age old game of ‘flicking your shows as far as you can while swinging’
Leaving Chile Chico on the ferry was possibly one of the most surreal experiences of the whole trip. I sat at the back of the boat and reflected on what we had achieved in Chile Chico and the other projects as well. I knew that this was the beginning of the end of my time in Patagonia. But I recall a few lines from a poem that I think I heard Marc read on the radio which included the lines ‘Everything begins with an end’ and ‘Everything ends with a beginning’. Looking back on it, these lines could not be more true!
-- Back at Field Base for End-Ex --
The final party was great!! It started with four guys bashing drums for about an hour or so while everybody danced around, which was just amazing!! Shona then lead a traditional Scottish dancing lesson, in which Helen and I attempted but never really got the hang of it, was fun never the less. The disco then started. Some good tunes were played, some rubbish tunes were played but it was all good fun! Once again in the absence of alcohol, fuel for the night was provided by sweets, fizzy drinks and cocktails/shots of 100% sugar based drink power called Zuko (which I since have found out is illegal in the UK due to certain ingredients). Come 2am the lights go up, people start to disperse, the clear up starts, the dj starts to pack up his equipment but plays some dark and down right dirty drum ‘n bass to round the night off! For me the party had just started, it was short lived though, only 1 hours worth! Around the barn we had bobbing for apples, a version of a coconut shy with mess tins, a paint wall, custard pie throwing and a Huemul piñata filled with sweets. It was so much fun!
I cant even begin to explain how weird it was to be leaving field base, our on/off home for the previous 10 weeks. I have now been home for 2 days and nothing has changed, it kind of seems that the past 10 weeks hasn’t really happened and was just a dream. I hope that what I have said has made sense and even inspired you. Raleigh hasn’t heard the last from me, I will return as staff sometime and somewhere…
I would like to thank the following staff for making my trip to Patagonia so special : Marc, Salvador, Tony, Steve, Sally, Shona, Abi and Jo.
"One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star"
Friday, April 07, 2006
Some land art for you...
This is a sculpture that me a the expedition artist, Marc, made on phase 2 on top of a hill over looking our camp site in The Tamango Reserve... I looked wicked at sun set... Thanks to Niki who took the photos and emailed them to me..
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Chile Chico high street.
Some local kids loving our hard work already!Sunday, April 02, 2006
Finally a few photos for you..
These are some pictures from a friends camera here, i have only added a few as the connection here is just sooooo slow. I will try to add some more soon.
Its me!
This was the view from our last campsite in phase 2
This is the outbuilding we are using as a kitchen/living room for this phase. Its not much but we have made it home and is a lot more than we had on the other phases. Thats me with the hood up in the front
This is sheep cooking over an open fire. It is a traditional Chilean meal called an Assado. It tasted sooo good. This is the thrid one i have had!!
And finally this is out newly adopted dog, Shakespear. He turned up one day and now goes everywhere with us, to work, to camp, on 17km walks and on the bus back.
More soon guys....
Its me!
This was the view from our last campsite in phase 2
This is the outbuilding we are using as a kitchen/living room for this phase. Its not much but we have made it home and is a lot more than we had on the other phases. Thats me with the hood up in the front 
This is sheep cooking over an open fire. It is a traditional Chilean meal called an Assado. It tasted sooo good. This is the thrid one i have had!!
And finally this is out newly adopted dog, Shakespear. He turned up one day and now goes everywhere with us, to work, to camp, on 17km walks and on the bus back. More soon guys....
Friday, March 31, 2006
Thrid and final Phase - Comunity
Sorry about the lack of updates people... Well, i am on the final phase of my expedition to Chile and i am i a lovely little town on the coast of the second largest lake in South America and the border with Argentina, Chile Chico also known as Sun City. It is just great here, and it is nice to be back in civilisation after spending 7 weeks in the middle of nowhere! I still havent managed to get and photos online but if you want to know more about Chile Chico and see some pics check out.here
So what am i upto?? well, i shall tell you.. We are finishing of the work started by the previous two groups here which is a playground and football pitch fgor the kids of the town. This morning a few of us went into the local secondy school and did a very basic english lesson which was fun but yet midly embarassing. Tonight we are having a footbal match against the local firemen which will be interesting as you all kown what my football skills are like!! Tomorrow we will be going for a 20km trek up te coast of the lake. Still to come we have absaiing, trek into Argentina and a slot on local radio so i can blast out the sounds of Oasis to the Chile Chico Masses... better go, update soon!!
So what am i upto?? well, i shall tell you.. We are finishing of the work started by the previous two groups here which is a playground and football pitch fgor the kids of the town. This morning a few of us went into the local secondy school and did a very basic english lesson which was fun but yet midly embarassing. Tonight we are having a footbal match against the local firemen which will be interesting as you all kown what my football skills are like!! Tomorrow we will be going for a 20km trek up te coast of the lake. Still to come we have absaiing, trek into Argentina and a slot on local radio so i can blast out the sounds of Oasis to the Chile Chico Masses... better go, update soon!!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Phase 2 - Environmental project in The Tamango Reserve
This phase was a lot of fun. It all started off with a bumby nine hour bus ride south from field base. After a soaking on the first night we set about our work. For the first 4 days we were working on a path in the reserve, building small bridges and drainage ditches, widening, repairing and building foothpaths throughout the reserve. This work was lots of fun and very varied. The next 5 days we were working on building a section of road for the park guards. This was really tough and i hated this part as it wasnt really essentail to the park, just seemed like they were using us to get the work done... However, the campsite we were at was great altough we did have to walk for nearly an hour each day to work.. I also built some crazy sculpture things out of wood and stone on top of hills with the expedition artist.. Sounds odd but they looked reall cool!!
The final part was a boat ride down a river and across a lake, so we all donned pirate costumes for the occasion only to be greeted by a very small boat and very un piratey life jackets.. We soon arrived at possibly the nicest campsite ever for our final 5 days. These five days were spent walking through thick, thick spikey undergrowth looking for the illusive and endangered andean deer called Huemul, of which we saw none. However, it was lots of fun ad the scenery was stunning... It was also a guys birthday while were were there so we had lots of cake, ballons, a game of home made twister.. much fun was had by all!!
The final part was a boat ride down a river and across a lake, so we all donned pirate costumes for the occasion only to be greeted by a very small boat and very un piratey life jackets.. We soon arrived at possibly the nicest campsite ever for our final 5 days. These five days were spent walking through thick, thick spikey undergrowth looking for the illusive and endangered andean deer called Huemul, of which we saw none. However, it was lots of fun ad the scenery was stunning... It was also a guys birthday while were were there so we had lots of cake, ballons, a game of home made twister.. much fun was had by all!!
Sunday, March 05, 2006
next phase...
hello again...
well after making a fool of my self in out fist skit (taking part in a comedy areobics session on stage in front of 100+ people in my thermals) i will find out what phase i am on next. I could be ripping out fences in a national park, digging paths through another national park, building stuff for local old people or building a playground in a nearby town. we will see! only one one of those sites i should be able to keep in touch by email or phone so you may not hear much from me over the next few weeks. But we will see. i hope to get some photos on here soon as there are a few digital camers kicking around the group. i will see if i can manage to keep the beard for the full 10 weeks but it is starting to itch badly already! but if i did keep it, that would be and achievement to be proud of!!
hope you are all keeping well and your not all missing me to much!! if you have any gossip you would like to share or any news you think i would like to know, please leave a comment on this blog. Oh yeah, what happened to doherty?? did he get sent down?
better go, til next time peeps!!
neil
well after making a fool of my self in out fist skit (taking part in a comedy areobics session on stage in front of 100+ people in my thermals) i will find out what phase i am on next. I could be ripping out fences in a national park, digging paths through another national park, building stuff for local old people or building a playground in a nearby town. we will see! only one one of those sites i should be able to keep in touch by email or phone so you may not hear much from me over the next few weeks. But we will see. i hope to get some photos on here soon as there are a few digital camers kicking around the group. i will see if i can manage to keep the beard for the full 10 weeks but it is starting to itch badly already! but if i did keep it, that would be and achievement to be proud of!!
hope you are all keeping well and your not all missing me to much!! if you have any gossip you would like to share or any news you think i would like to know, please leave a comment on this blog. Oh yeah, what happened to doherty?? did he get sent down?
better go, til next time peeps!!
neil
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